3 Tips For Strategizing Your First Marathon

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Start Line Mentality

If a coach can peek into the athletes’ minds on the start line, he can tell who is going to do well and who is not simply based on what’s going through their heads. The athletes who are worried about the competition, the weather or other things which are out of their control; a coach can tell right away those athletes are not ready to perform. An athlete who is focused on the things he has no control over will always allow doubts and fears to overtake his confidence in training and preparation, his race plan and strategies — perpetuating negative thoughts and making for a long, under-performing day.

Athletes that focus on the things they do have control over, such as their race strategies, nutrition and warm up, are the ones who will put their nervous energy into the things that directly help them. These athletes will almost always perform to their potential better than their counterparts.

When race day comes, trust the training and consistency you’ve put in. Trust the experience you’ve gained from your long runs and tempo runs, and focus on the things you can control. You’re bound to reach your potential!

Jim Vance is an Elite Coach for TrainingBible Coaching, and a professional triathlete. Questions or comments can be sent to jvance@trainingbible.com .

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